Miniature rose plant named ‘WEKsactrumi’

ABSTRACT

A new variety of Miniature rose suitable for garden decoration, having flowers of cherry red coloration.

Classification: The present invention relates to a new Rosa hybridaplant.

Variety denomination: The new plant has the varietal denomination‘WEKsactrumi’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Miniature Rose.It has as its seed parent the variety known as ‘POUlclaus’ (U.S. PlantPat. No. 9,063) and as its pollen parent an undisseminated seedling ofmy creation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Among the features which distinguish the new variety from otherpresently available and commercial rose cultivars known to the inventorare the following combination of characteristics: its moderatelymucronate to round petal apices, its excellent color stabilitythroughout the life of the flower, its red suffusion on the inside ofthe sepals, its very smooth rachis and its very low thorned shoots andbranches. The plant has a bushy moderately spreading growing habit,suitable for outdoor garden decoration.

Asexual reproduction of the new variety by budding as performed in KernCounty and Upland, Calif., shows that the foregoing and otherdistinguishing characteristics come true to form and are established andtransmitted through succeeding asexual propagations. ‘WEKsactrumi’ maybe asexually propagated by cuttings, budding and grafting. The buddingand grafting successfully occurred on the plant/rootstock Rosa hybridacv. ‘Dr. Huey’.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTS

The new rose may be distinguished from its seed parent, ‘POUlclaus’ bythe following combination of characteristics: whereas ‘WEKsactrumi’bears flowers of cherry red coloration with double petalage (about 21 to32 petals), ‘POUlclaus’ bears flowers of deeper red coloration withsignificantly lesser petalage (about 14 to 18 petals). The seed parentbears several large prickles and few small prickles on its branches andnew shoots, whereas ‘WEKsactrumi’ bears no large or small prickles onthe branches or the new shoots.

The new rose may be distinguished from its pollen parent, anundisseminated seedling of my creation by the following combination ofcharacteristics: whereas ‘WEKsactrumi’ bears medium size flowers (about4 to about 5 cm. in diameter) of cherry red coloration, theundisseminated seedling bears significantly smaller flowers oforange-red coloration. ‘WEKsactrumi’ has a bushy moderately spreadingmedium height growth habit, whereas the pollen parent has a very compactand significantly shorter mature growth habit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATION

The accompanying photograph illustrates the new variety and shows theflowering thereof from bud to full bloom depicted in color as nearlycorrect as it is possible to make in a color illustration of thecharacter. Throughout this specification, color references and/or valuesare based upon The Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society(1966) except where common terms of color definition are employed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following description is of 3 to 4 year-old rose plants of the newvariety grown outdoors in Upland, Calif. in the month of September.Phenotypic expression may vary with environmental, cultural and climaticconditions, as well as differences in conditions of light and soil.

FLOWER

The new variety sometimes bears its flowers singly, usually in clustersof three to ten or more per stem. Flowers may be borne in regularrounded clusters on strong medium to long stems (about 13 to about 56cm.). Outdoors, the plant blooms abundantly and nearly continuouslyduring the growing season. The flowers have a slight tea fragrance.

BUD

The peduncle is about 1.6 to about 4.1 cm. in length, of average toheavy caliper (about 0.2 to about 0.3 cm. in diameter), and usuallyerect. It is moderately smooth, with many stipitate glands and very fewhairs. Peduncle color is between 144A and 146B often heavily suffused,especially on the side exposed to the sun, with between 187A and 183A.

Before the calyx breaks, the bud is about 0.7 to about 1.2 cm. indiameter at the widest point, about 1.2 to about 1.8 cm. in length, andpointed to somewhat ovoid in shape. The surface of the bud bears fewfoliaceous appendages and very few stipitate glands, usually withslender entire foliaceous parts extending beyond the tip of the budabout ½ or more of its length. Bud color is between 144A and 146B oftenheavily suffused, especially on the side exposed to the sun, withbetween 187A and 183A.

The sepals are about 1.6 to about 2.5 cm. in length and about 0.4 toabout 0.7 cm. in width at the widest point. The outer surface color ofthe sepal is between 144A and 146B often heavily suffused, especially onthe side exposed to the sun, with between 187A and 183A. The innersurface color of the sepal is between 138A and 139D. After the sepalsopen, the inner surface color is sometimes heavily suffused, especiallyon the area exposed to the sun, with between 187A and 187B. The innersurface is covered with fine wooly tomentum; sepal margins are linedwith many stipitate glands.

As the petals open (after the calyx breaks), the bud is about 1.1 toabout 1.6 cm. in diameter at the widest point, about 1.6 to about 2.2cm. in length, and moderately ovoid to somewhat pointed in form. Thecolor of the under surfaces of the newly opened petals is between 53Aand 53C. At the point where the petal attaches, there is a very smallzone of between 1D and 2D. The color of the upper surfaces of the newlyopened petals is between 53A and 46A. At the point where the petalattaches, there is a very small zone of between 1D and 2D.

BLOOM

When fully open, the bloom ranges from about 4 to about 5 cm. indiameter. Petalage is double with about 21 to 32 petals and about 6 to10 petaloids irregularly arranged. When partially open, the bloom formis moderately globular to cupped, and the petals are somewhat tightlyspiraled to cupped with petal edges somewhat reflexed outward. Whenfully open, the bloom form is somewhat flat to slightly cupped, and thepetals are loosely cupped with petal edges moderately reflexed outward.

PETALS

The substance of the petals is moderately heavy and of somewhat thinthickness, with upper surfaces moderately satiny to somewhat velvety andunder surfaces mostly matte to somewhat shiny. The outer petals arenearly round to somewhat obovate in shape with apices moderatelymucronate to round. The inner petals are broadly obovate in shape withapices mostly round but sometimes slightly mucronate. The petals areabout 1.1 to about 2.4 cm. in length and about 0.5 to about 2.4 cm. inwidth at the widest point. Petal margins are entire.

NEWLY OPENED FLOWER

The under surface color of the outer and intermediate petals is between60A and 53C. At the point where the petal attaches, there is a verysmall zone of between 4D and 155A. The upper surface color of the outerand intermediate petals is between 53B and 46A. At the point when thepetal attaches, there is a very small zone of between 4D and 155A.

The under surface color of the inner petals is between 53B and 53C. Theupper surface color of the inner petals is between 53A and 46A.

The general tonality of the newly opened flower is between 53B and 46A.

THREE-DAY-OLD FLOWER

The under surface color of the outer, intermediate and inner petals isbetween 60A and 53C. At the point where the petal attaches, there is avery small zone of between 4D and 155A.

The upper surface color of the outer, intermediate and inner petals isbetween 64C and 67C at the base of the petal that gradually suffuses tobetween 53B and 46A near the center of the petal and is often moderatelyoverlaid near the very tip of the petals with a wash of between 187B and187A. At the point where the petal attaches, there is a very small zoneof between 4D and 155A.

The general tonality of the three-day-old flower is between 64C and 67Cat the base of the petal that gradually suffuses to between 53B and 46Anear the center of the petal and is often moderately overlaid near thevery tip of the petals with a wash of between 187B and 187A.

On the spent bloom, the petals usually drop off cleanly.

In September in Upland, Calif., blooms on the bush growing outdoorsgenerally last about four to five or more days. Cut roses from plantsgrown outdoors and kept at normal indoor living temperatures generallylast about four to five or more days.

MALE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

Stamens are average in number (average about 80) and are arrangedregularly about the pistils; a few are mixed with petaloids. Thefilaments are of very short length (about 0.2 to about 0.5 cm.), mostwith anthers. Filaments are between 6C and 5B in color. The anthers aresomewhat large for the class and all open approximately at the sametime. Anther color is between 19A and 39B when immature and between 164Dand 175B at maturity. Pollen is very sparse.

FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

Pistils vary in number (average about 35). The styles are moderatelyeven, moderately short in length (about 0.3 to about 0.5 cm.), very thinin caliper, and moderately separated to somewhat columnar. Stigma coloris between 11D and 8D. Style color is between 154D and 1D often heavilysuffused near the top with between 53C and 53D. Ovaries are usually allenclosed in the calyx.

Hips have not been observed on this variety when grown in Upland, Calif.

FOLIAGE

The compound leaves are usually comprised of three to five or moreleaflets and are borne abundantly. The five-leaflet leaves are about 7.1to about 9.8 cm. in length and about 5.2 to 6.2 cm. in width at thewidest point, moderately leathery in texture, and semi-glossy in finish.The terminal leaflets are about 2.7 to about 4.4 cm. in length and about1.6 to about 2.4 cm. in width at the widest point, shaped moderatelyoval to somewhat ovate with acute apices and rounded to somewhat acutebases. Their margins are usually simply serrate.

The upper surface color of the mature leaf is between 147A and 137C. Theunder surface color of the mature leaf is between 147B and 138B. Theupper surface color of the young leaf is between 146A and 144A,sometimes heavily suffused with between 187A and 183B. The under surfacecolor of the young leaf is between 147B and 138B, sometimes lightlysuffused with between 187B and 183B.

The rachis is average in caliper and very smooth. The upper side isshallowly grooved with some hairs and stipitate glands on the edges ofthe grooves. The under side of the rachis is very smooth without anyhairs or stipitate glands. The rachis color is between 144B and 146Dsometimes suffused, especially on the young leaves, with between 187Band 183B.

The stipules are about 1.0 to about 1.6 cm. in length and very wide(about 0.4 to about 0.7 cm.) with long straight points that usually turnout at an angle of more than 45 degrees. The stipules color is between137A and 145B sometimes suffused, especially on the young leaves, withbetween 187B and 183B.

The petiole is about 0.3 to about 1.1 cm. in length and about 0.1 toabout 0.15 cm in diameter at the widest point. The petiole color isbetween 144B and 146D sometimes suffused, especially on the youngleaves, with between 187B and 183B.

The plant displays an above average degree of resistance to powderymildew and rust as compared to other commercial varieties grown undercomparable conditions in Upland, Calif. The plant's winter hardiness anddrought/heat tolerance are yet to be determined.

GROWTH

The plant has a bushy moderately spreading medium height growing habit(about 60 to about 77 cm. in height and about 100 to about 120 cm.spread at the widest point), with very full branching. It displaysmoderately vigorous growth and the canes are of somewhat heavy caliperfor the class.

The color of the major stems is between 146A and 146B. They bear veryfew large prickles that are about 0.5 to about 0.8 cm. in length. Thelarge prickles are almost straight and angled slightly downward with amoderately short length broad rounded to somewhat oval base; pricklecolor is between 201C and 174B. The major stem bears no small prickles.

The color of the branches is between 146B and l37C. They bear no largeor small prickles.

The color of the new shoots is between 144A and 143A sometimes heavilysuffused with between 187A and 183B. They bear no large or smallprickles.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Miniature rose plant of the varietysubstantially as described and illustrated herein.